Metal reenforcement for highways construction



Jan. 3, 1933. w. T. ALLAN 1,893,387

METAL REENFORCEMENT FOR HIGHWAYS CONSTRUCTIQN Filed Oct. 7, 1931 k V aFarented Jan. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES WILLIAM TAYLOR ALLAN, F SHOTTS,SCOTLAND METAL REENFOBCEMEN'T FOR HIGHWAYS CONSTRUCTION Applicationfiled October 7, 1931, Serial No. 567,433, and in Great Britain November20, 1930.

This invention relates to improvements in metal reenforcement for theconstruction of highways.

Metal reenforcement according to the in vention is constituted byinterlocking plates, 7

preferably of cast iron, ribbed and apertured, each plate being formedwith concavely or convexly curved edges or with concavely and convexlycurved edges adapted to mate with the edges of adjacent plates.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figs.1-3 are, respectively, a plan view, an end elevation, and a sideelevation, of a plate. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectiondrawn to a largerscale illus trative of the mating of adjacent plates.

Referring to the drawing each plate 1 is ribbed on one face, as at 2,and is provided with apertures, as 3. The plate is placed ribbed sideuppermost immediately below the surface of the road and bedded evenly onthe road foundation, its edges interlocking with y the edges of adjacentplates 1 1 as shown 9 in Fig. 4. The convexly curved edge 4 of the plate1 fits into the concavely curved edge 5 of plate 1 and the convexlycurved edge 4' of the plate 1 fits into the concavely curved edge 5 ofthe plate 1. The interlocking joint prevents displacement of the platesand at the same time allows the relative inclination necessary forcamber and gradients. The plates areheld against lateral displacement bythe curb of the roadway against which they are bedded, and also by thesurfacing material of the roadway which penetrates the apertures 3 inthe plates and makes contact with and adheres to the surface of thefoundation exposed by the apertures 3. The

ribbed structure of the plates strengthens the latter and at the sametime provides a further means of adhesion for the surfacing 'material,this adhesion being assisted by the edges'of the apertures 3. For curvesand corners in the roadway, plates of a shape to meet requirements areused. The dimensions of the plates are varied to suit diiferentconditions. The surfacingmaterial may be tar macadam or some suchmaterial or a material which is plastic when laid.

- I claim 7 Metal reenforcement for roadways comprising interlockingfoundation plates, said plates being ribbed on the upper side and.apertured for receiving the surfacing material, and disposedribbed-side-uppermost to engage the surfacing material of the roadwayand to form pockets for receiving surfacing material keyed by theportions accommodated by the apertures, each plate being formed withcurved edges adapted to mate with the edges of adjacent plates in allhorizontal directions and allowing for the camber of the road.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification.

WILLIAM 'r. ALLAN.

